Abstract:

In recent years, large initiatives around the globe have accumulated data used to calculate average wiring diagrams of the human brain. In this talk I will discuss how these “connectomes” can guide invasive and noninvasive neuromodulation in healthy and clinical populations. While some of these concepts have direct clinical value for treating Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s Disease, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Depression, they also allow us to better understand which brain networks are causally involved in neuropsychological concepts such as risk taking & reward, impulsivity, 

or cognition. Invasive neuromodulation also has effects on the brain-body interface and make it possible to study networks and regions causally involved in eating disorders and body weight, heart rate, flushing/sweating and fear. In a similar way, we are able to pair naturally occuring brain lesions (e.g. from strokes) with the connectome to identify networks causally involved in blindsight, delusions, mania, criminality, or even spirituality.

I will review methods and results from multiple studies that research labs world wide have applied to study connectomic effects of focal neuromodulation. We will cover results in diseases ranging from the movement disorders spectrum (Parkinson’s Disease, Dystonia, Essential Tremor) to neuropsychiatric (Tourette’s & Alzheimer’s Disease) and psychiatric (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Depression) diseases but also focus on findings from stroke patients and healthy subjects. I will demonstrate how findings in seemingly different diseases (such as Parkinson’s Disease and Depression) could be transferred to cross-inform one another and give a path forward to establish connectome-based neuromodulation.

WEBEX: https://fu-berlin.webex.com/fu-berlin-en/j.php?MTID=ma5e25625bcec85a1407ad47aeaaaf447